A Pattern of Lipid Profile Among Saudi Adults With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in a Tertiary Hospital: A Retrospective Study

Objective: Dyslipidemia is prevalent in adults living with type 1 diabetes, and it can worsen the presentation of microvascular complications such as retinopathy. This study aims to identify the pattern coupled with the frequency of dyslipidemia in diabetic adults who followed up at different clinics in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, and evaluate the associations with demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective chart review study of 514 adults with type 1 diabetes was conducted in a tertiary health care facility in the central region of Saudi Arabia. Demographics were retrieved by using the implemented electronic medical records. Fasting lipid profile, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were checked for all subjects. Results: Five hundred and fourteen (514) subjects aged 18-65 years were studied (mean age: 26.1 ± 7.1 years). There were 318 (62%) females in the sample, and their mean age was significantly different from the mean age of males (p = 0.01). The mean duration of having diabetes was 12.8 ± 6.9 years. The prevalence of lipid abnormalities included abnormal low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (70%), hypercholesterolemia (23%), abnormal high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (8%), and hypertriglyceridemia (5%). Abnormal HDL was significantly higher in males than in females (p=<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of other lipid abnormalities between the two genders and the age group < or ≥ 25 years. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean of the tested lipids levels between the two genders. One hundred and forty-three (143) (27.8%) patients had more than one abnormal lipid condition. A statistically significant difference was observed in the mean HbA1c between males and females (p=0.001). Otherwise, there was no significant association of lipid abnormalities with gender, age, diabetes duration, and weight. Conclusion: The most prevalent lipid abnormality was high LDL cholesterol. Nearly a third of the tested individuals had more than one lipid abnormality. Furthermore, poor glycemic control was linked to abnormal lipid profiles. Consequently, local programs must aim to screen and intervene early to delay and prevent future severe vascular complications related to non-treated dyslipidemia.